Without trophies, Toronto still thrives
There is a palpable buzz that emanates from the ground up in Toronto. Sit in one of the bustling cafes along King Street west and the feeling is contagious. Things are happening in this city and they are happening in ways that most other metropolises in North America can only dream of. Huge chunks of Hollywood's A-list was recently in town for the Toronto International Film Festival, the largest and most prestigious gathering on the continent, and while the paparazzi worked overtime stalking the celluloid heroes, construction crews feverishly plastered the landscape with one tower after another.
Toronto's suddenly dense waterfront could almost rival Hong Kong's, which is entirely apropos considering how much local and mainland money is helping to fuel the building boom. At the foot of this urban lakefront sprawl sit the city's two major sporting venues: the Air Canada Centre and the Rogers Centre. Their presence alongside the plethora of building cranes and multi-million-dollar condos serves to pose a simple question: Is it still possible to be the most vibrant locale in North America when your four main professional teams flat out stink? Only Toronto knows for sure.
The Argonauts have all of two wins in their first 11 games and will miss the Canadian Football League play-offs this year, which is a feat in itself considering six of the league's eight teams make it. Their co-tenants at the Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays, will also miss out on baseball's post-season for the 17th straight year dating back to when they won the second of their consecutive World Series championships. Over those 17 years, the Blue Jays have lapsed into insignificance, beset by poor management and middling attendance.
Fear not, though, because winter is on the way and with it come the Maple Leafs and Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. The Leafs are the most valuable franchise in the National Hockey League and are easily the most popular team in town. Their games have been sold out forever but all the franchise's success appears to be off the ice, as they have not made the play-offs since 2004 and last won the Stanley Cup 44 years ago.
The Raptors joined the National Basketball Association in 1995 and have become noteworthy for being a team to leave, as one star after another has bailed on the town. They won a grand total of 22 games last year while losing 60. If there is an NBA season this year, the Raptors will almost certainly miss the play-offs again and, barring a miracle from the Leafs, that will mean no play-off games of any kind for the city.
When it comes to sports and Toronto, well, man what a great film festival they have. George Clooney and Brad Pitt regularly show up and often voice their love for the town. Neither has ever been heard to say: 'Imagine how hot this city would be if the Blue Jays actually had some decent pitching?'